AMBITIOUS plans to build a new state £150million critical treatment hospital north of Winchester look set to be scrapped at a meeting later this week.

The hospital, which would have centralised Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) A&E and critical care services between Winchester, Andover and Basingstoke, has been deemed "not affordable" by the West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The option to build the hospital on a greenfield site near junction 7 of the M3 was part of a review looking at how to improve community care services in north and mid-Hampshire.

Dr Sarah Schofield, chairman of West Hampshire CCG, said that efforts should now be focussed on improving care out of hospital.

Dr Schofield added: "This should help to manage the growing demand on the acute hospitals.”

Responding to the news, Winchester MP Steve Brine said: “We have to maintain a sensible and balanced discussion about the future of acute care that, above all else, ensures the local NHS is there when we’re acutely unwell.

“My hunch for some time now has been that a new build is unlikely which, while hugely frustrating, at least gives us clarity.

"We now have to focus on securing the RHCH (Royal Hampshire County Hospital) by supporting the local NHS to deliver its STP (sustainability and transformation partnership) and press for much needed capital investment on the Winchester and Basingstoke sites.”

A meeting will be held on Thursday, November 30 in Winchester to discuss the review.